Tools of the Trade

I often receive emails or comments asking about a particular piece of kitchen equipment or a specific ingredient. As you might imagine, there are some tools and ingredients that I absolutely swear by and that are indispensable to me. I have listed below my most commonly used pieces of kitchen equipment and some of my favorite ingredients, with specific brand and product information included, where possible. Hopefully this will make shopping for new kitchen toys and stocking your pantry even easier!

Cocoa Powder: When a recipe calls for unsweetened cocoa powder, I use Hershey’s Cocoa (natural unsweetened), which can be found at your local grocery store. For Dutch-process cocoa powder, I use Penzeys Dutch Process Cocoa Powder.

Diastatic Malt Powder: This is used in my bagel recipes and I purchase it from King Arthur Flour.

Flour: I use King Arthur Flour exclusively for almost all of my flour. I keep the following flours in my pantry (the first three I can purchase at my local grocery store): All-Purpose Flour, Bread Flour, Whole Wheat Flour and Hi-Gluten Flour. I purchase cake flour from the grocery store and use either Swan’s Down or Softasilk brands.

Malted Milk Powder: Some readers have been able to find this at their local grocery store, but I never have and order mine from King Arthur Flour.

Maple Syrup: I purchase my maple syrup from the grocery store or Sam’s Club. The key is to buy pure maple syrup, not the artificial syrup most of us grew up putting on our pancakes, or your recipes just won’t turn out.

Pastry Bags & Decorating Tips: I use Wilton brand decorating bags and tips, which I purchase at Michael’s craft stores.

Peanut Butter: I use either JIF or Skippy brands of peanut butter for my baking. Important Note: Unless a recipe specifically calls for natural peanut butter, using it can wreak havoc on your recipe unless you use a no-stir type that does not need to be refrigerated.

Vanilla Beans: Vanilla beans can be extremely expensive, so I find it most economical to buy them in bulk. I purchase Madagascar Vanilla Beans from Penzeys.

Vanilla Extract: I love the Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Extract from King Arthur Flour, and I go through a lot of vanilla extract, so my most economical option is the 32-ounce bottle!

Happy Baking! 🙂

welcome to brown eyed baker!

Hello and welcome to this delicious little corner of the web! Here you'll find approachable recipes for desserts, comfort foods and easy dinners.

I reside in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with my husband, our two sons, and Golden Retriever.